Monthly Archives: May 2007

May is a busy month, and I haven’t taken the time to post all the stuff that has happened. Of course, now I have about a million pictures, but you’ll just have to deal with it!First, Emily graduated from preschool. Emily was super cute! They had a whole program, and she was very into the whole thing. Her daddy even got her a graduation flower and balloon! [photopress:100_5091.jpg,full,centered][photopress:100_5094.jpg,full,centered]Robbie also had a Kindergarten graduation (seriously, are we going to have to do this for every grade . . . not that we mind!) It was actually really neat. They did a whole slide show of the kindergarteners, which, of course, made me cry! I’m such a wimp! Thanks Mama Gee for the pictures as I forgot my camera![photopress:100_0977.JPG,full,centered][photopress:100_1000.JPG,full,centered]Then, we got to go to a Rangers game. Of course, it was raining at first (which is not surprising considering the weather we’ve had!). It all worked out though. We just moved up to the top where it was covered, AND we got to see them unroll the giant tarp. Pretty cool![photopress:000_0062.jpg,full,centered]At one point, the bases were loaded, and Robbie looked at me and informed me that he wanted to see a Grand Slam. As I was explaining how unlikely that was to happen, guess what? Yup, a Grand Slam! Robbie was beside himself![photopress:000_0066.jpg,full,centered]And Kelsey . . . well, she was excited too. In her own way! I can’t believe she slept through the cheering and the fireworks! [photopress:000_0070.jpg,full,centered]This last picture is just pretty typical of the whole night. Jon was excited to be there with his family. Adam was glued to Jon. Robbie was too distracted by the game to actually pay attention to the camera. Emily was only there for the food. Kelsey just ate her hands, or whatever she could get hold of. Aubrey took pictures (and took kids to the bathroom, but there are no pictures of that!). It was a great night![photopress:000_0064.jpg,full,centered]So, that’s just a few of the goings-on of the Gees! Now that school is out, and if it ever stops raining I might have some fun summer pictures to post later! Enjoy!

Once upon a time there was a mom. This mom was like lots of other moms. She had way too many things to do, and not enough time or energy to accomplish them. One day, which happened to be a Wednesday, was like any other day. She had kids to take to school, shopping to do, kids to referee. That night, she had volunteered to feed the missionaries dinner. Her loving and supportive husband was no where to be seen, as he had flown to the far away land of Houston for his job. So, she diligently made dinner for the missionaries, and invited her sister, her brother-in-law and niece over to eat also. This was not a normal night, however. See, this mom had to leave immediately after dinner to go to the church to help out with the wee cub scouts. Unfortunately, the mom had made a GIANT mess making dinner, and the guests had made a GIANT mess eating dinner. And this GIANT mess had to be left as she traveled to the chapel. After helping take care of 8 adorable, but exhausting cub scouts as well as her own four children, this mom was tired. As she drove home, she was sad just thinking about the mess she would see as she walked inside her house. As she opened the door, she noticed an odd sound. It was the dishwasher! She walked in to find that the kitchen was completely clean! All the dishes had disappeared! It was a Wednesday Night Miracle! Apparently, some sneaky elf had driven around the block, and then magically entered her house and cleaned everything while the mom was gone. Not only were the dishes done, but the house was picked up too! The mom’s eyes filled with tears (yes, you can mock if you like) of gratitude for the elf, and the little elf helper that came with her. The mom tried to call the elf and thank her, but apparently the elf doesn’t answer her phone.So, thank you, Elf, for making my night a lot easier. I really needed that tonight. You are amazing!

Today I was at Wal-Mart with the kids. We had successfully completed our shopping (and by that I mean I hadn’t lost/yelled at any of the kids) and it was time to check out. Now, I’m pretty sure some evil person designed grocery store checkouts just to torture mothers. EVERY time we check out, the kids beg for a treat. Sometimes I give in and sometimes I don’t. Today I informed the kids they could have one treat to split between the two of them. After all, those are big treats and the kids are little. Of course, Adam wanted Skittles gum, and Emily wanted M & Ms. And neither one was budging. So, being the mean mom that I am, I made them put both back, and informed them that if they couldn’t decide, then they didn’t get a treat. So, I checked out to the sound of hysterical crying. As I was leaving, the woman behind me stopped me. When I turned around, I noticed two packages of M&Ms and two packages of Skittles gum with her stuff to be checked out. She told me that she was a grandma and didn’t get to buy her grandkids things very often, and said she would like to buy the treats for the kids. I protested, of course. But she really wanted to, and I didn’t think I should say no to that kindness. My kids very nicely said thank you and walked out of the store extremely happy!Now, my kids didn’t really need all that sugar. And I was trying to teach them a lesson about compromise. But that didn’t really matter. We live in a world where way too many people are so self-absorbed that they don’t take the time to notice those in need around them. I think it’s a much more valuable lesson for my kids to learn caring and giving. So, I’m grateful to the lady in Wal-Mart for her compassion and kindess. I think this world would be a lot better if we had more people like that. And maybe it will help me be a little more mindful of those around me!

Happy Mother’s Day to you all. Well, not to the guys. That would be weird. Today was an interesting day. Here it is in a nutshell:6:45 – Get out of bed – aww, do I have to? Shower, get dressed for church7:30 – Jon feed the kids breakfast and makes me breakfast. Pop tarts! Yeah, it’s Sunday before church, and we don’t have a lot of time. He’s so cute!8:45 -Head to church8:55 – All the kids have to go to the bathroom. Adam begs to go by himself. I say okay, as long as Robbie takes him9:05 – Kids still not back from bathroom. Search and rescue begins. Find Adam running through the halls and Robbie coming out of the bathroom with pants half way done up. Takes 10 more minutes to finish everyone up. Miss sacrament and have to sit in the hall.10:00 -12:00 – Spend all of church running around putting out fires. (Ya know, not enough nursery leaders, classroom arrangement, crying kids, blah, blah, blah)12:15 – run home, change, go to Granbury to see Mama Gee1:00 – 4:30 GRANBURY! Totally fun. I even got a nap! Of course, I slept too long and then we were late for dinner at my family!6:00 – ARLINGTON! Dinner with Vans! Mmmm, prime rib.7:00 – Talk to Elder Brad on the phone. Inform him that he keeps spelling “minute” wrong in his letters. I just think he really likes to dance, ya know, a “minuet”. Then, spend the next hour feeling bad for telling him that. 8:25 – Head home8:30 – Get in a car accident. Everyone’s fine. The lady behind us says her brakes went out, and she couldn’t stop. Her car is not driveable, so the police have to come and file a report. Our car just has a dent in the bumper. Spend the next hour sitting in the car trying to keep the kids from making us crazy. Kids thought it was a great adventure. Especially when the policeman came and turned on his lights. REALLY glad when we finally get to go home. REALLY REALLY glad that no one was hurt and it wasn’t our fault (we were just sitting at a stoplight) and that our car is still driveable.10:00 – FINALLY home! Kids in bed. Jon and Aubrey crash (after writing incomplete sentences on the blog!) Good night!

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a mom this week. Big shocker there, since Mother’s Day is on Sunday. I tend to get caught up in the day to day, mundane world of mommyhood. Sometimes, all I see is the fighting and the weariness and the 24 hours a day that I am on call. And sometimes I forget why I’m doing it. As I was thinking about this, I was remembering when Kelsey was born.When all my kids were born, I loved them all pretty much immediately. But it was a shallow kind of love, a kind of “just because they’re my kid” kind of love. When Kelsey was born, she had a teeny little birthmark right under her nose. When we were taking pictures, the photographer pointed it out, and I was a little sensitive. I think in a way, I might have been a little bothered that she wasn’t absolutely perfect. Isn’t that silly? Kelsey is 5 1/2 months old now. I was remarking to Jon the other day that Kelsey’s birthmark had gone away, just in passing. He looked at me kind of strange, and pointed out that it was still there. I took another look at my daughter, and sure enough, the little red patch is right where it was when she was born. How could something that had initially bothered me, not even be noticeable to me now? I realized it is because my love for Kelsey has grown immensely in the last 5 1/2 months. I guess I logically know that blemish is there, but I love her more than almost anything else in the world (along with Jon, Robbie, Emily & Adam) and I can only see her beautiful smile when I look at her now. I think this is what being a mom is about. You know your kids aren’t perfect, but you love them in spite of that. I have always said that I am so in love with my kids. Yeah, they make me crazy. And I could do without some of the whininess. But I am so grateful that I get to be a mommy. Because I love those little kids with everything that I am. And that’s pretty amazing!

Emily’s Preschool Graduation is coming up next week! Anyone who wants to come is welcome, but don’t feel obligated! Here’s the invitation, just for everyone’s information! [photopress:CCF05102007_00000.jpg,full,centered]

Here’s something you never want to hear the dentist say as he’s drilling your teeth:”Oops. Sorry, I nicked your cheek.”WHAT?!? My cheek?!? With the drill?!? It didn’t hurt though. At least not until the novocaine wore off . . .